Proverbs 31

May 14

The Creation of Women

Proverbs 31 is the go to scripture verses for how a women should act. Many devotions and Bible studies can be found on the passage of Proverbs 31. Today we are going to take a deep dive into what Proverbs 31 says in the context of scripture.

The description of mother woman and wife in the Bible, specifically Proverbs 31 truly reflects the dignity that God created the woman to have when He caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and formed his covenant ally from his rib. On the sixth day, God created male and female in His image, Genesis 1:27. God surveys what He has made step by step and pronounces it good, vs. 10, 12, 18, 21, 25. However, on the sixth day of creation, He creates His masterpiece by forming man from the dust and woman from the rib of man. Then, the striking part is that He says “...behold, it was very good…”. Chapter 2 vs. 7 explains that God created man from the dust of the earth and breathed into man’s lifeless body life. At this point on this last day of creation, man’s better half had not been created. Adam goes to work immediately, by beginning to name the animals. God sees that he needs a helper, a covenantal ally to accomplish all that God has given him to do. God causes Adam to fall into a deep sleep, similar to when Abraham fell into a deep sleep as God moved between the pieces and obligated Himself to keep Abraham’s and His end of the covenant agreement. In Genesis 2, God brings to the man his covenant ally in which he will subdue and have dominion over His creation. After forming Adam’s covenant partner, a woman, He presents her to him and He breaks forth into a poetic song, vss. 22-23. This covenantal partnership was to be for life and to show forth the Creator’s love for His image bearers. This brief analysis of how God created man and woman on the sixth and brought them together into a special unique covenantal relationship leads us to now consider the unique role and part women have in that relationship.

Proverbs 31:10-31: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeks wool, and flax, and works willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is yet night, and gives meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considers a field, and buys it: with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She girds her loins with strength and strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is good: her candle does not go out by night. She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes fine linen, and sells it; and delivers girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but you excel them all. Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” (NIV)

What is a Virtuous Woman according to Scripture?

Proverbs 31:10 begins with a question. “Who can find a virtuous woman?” This is meant to provoke king Lemuel to think and contemplate on how to choose wisely a queen to rule with him. His mother is trying to impart wisdom and knowledge to her son on how to find a valiant, strong, and a woman with inner valor. The word virtuous carries with it the connotation of men who fight valiantly in battle. This is the covenantal ally that God created to partner with Adam in subduing and having dominion over His creation. No wonder that Adam started singing for joy upon seeing his valiant covenantal partner for the first time.

King Lemuel’s mother then goes into a long conversation expounding on what makes a woman virtuous/valiant and one fitting to rule alongside the king. Verse 10 ends by saying that a valiant/virtuous woman is priceless. Verse 11 says she has earned the complete trust of your husband in everything she does. The New Living Translation says it this way, “...she will greatly enrich his life.” and as we will see she “enriches'' his life spiritually and through her entrepreneural spirit. Verses 2-16 describes how she carefully and industriously provides all her family needs. She is wise with money and investments. She brings in nothing but the best foods for them to eat and be satisfied. She is an amazing seemstress and clothes them with the best clothes. Is there any wonder then why vs. 17 describes her as having immense strength.

After reading the last paragraph many might saying she is going to be a king’s wife and that comes with the means to be all those things, or there is no way I could afford to invest or provide for my family like that! So how can a woman who is not going to be the wife of a king reflect this proverbial woman. The main point of our text is not the means that this woman has to provide for her family. Only that with the means she does have she tirelessly works for the good of her family. As we will see below her strength is an inner character of valor and wisdom, which comes from her faith in God.

Mothers Inner Character

Verse 18 continues by saying, “...her candle never goes out.” Some thoughts that will help us understand this is looking at what the Bible elsewhere says about lights that do not go out. One from the OT is the lampstand in the tabernacle that never goes out and symbolizes God’s presence and ever watchfulness over His people for their protection, Leviticus 24:2-4. Another text from the New Testament speaks of ten young women waiting for the groom and 5 were wise and did not let their lamps go out and were prepared when the groom came and the other five were left out of the wedding, Matthew 25:1-13. The valiant woman is always watching and prepared to guard her family from harm that might threaten them and teaches her children to be ever prepared and watchful for the return of Jesus Christ.

Verse 20 says that after caring and providing for her family she does not neglect the poor and possesses an amazing generous, and caring nature for any who are less fortunate and are in need. She not only takes care of family and those in need but also takes care of herself, vs. 22. Verse 21 reiterates her preparedness and even the unpredictability of weather does care her unprepared! Verse 23 teaches that her reputation of valor and wisdom and industriousness is profound that everyone respects her husband. Her care and valor and inner strength proves that God was faithful in providing man the complete and perfect covenant ally and partner. Nothing but woman was suitable for the man he had created. She is the perfect fit. Without a woman of valor and wisdom and strength and faith the home does not function harmoniously. This is the havoc that sin has wreaked on the home. Dividing the perfect covenant partner into two and pitting one against the other. But in Proverbs 31 we are given a glimpse of the way God intended the covenant of marriage to be, two (man/woman) working together in perfect unity to raise covenant children in obedience to God’s word and as a family reflecting the love and unity of the trinity and to give Him the honor and glory.

Mother’s Faith in the Lord

Verse 30 concludes by saying, “...a woman that fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” and this is the reason she is a woman of valor. She reflects the One in whose image she was created! Apart from the strength she receives from God she cannot be this valiant covenant partner. Her wisdom is from God, her strength is from God.

This is God’s righteous standard of womanhood. Women are not going to achieve the standard on their own ability. Only the woman in humble reliance upon God and whose faith is in Christ can begin to be the covenant ally God intended.

There is a remarkable story of a young woman in college who meets and marries a young man studying to be a pastor. They have three children and together they planted a church in columbus ohio. Tragically one saturday night her husband does not come from guarding a man’s business center. This was a man from the church they had planted. She goes out to look for husband and when she cannot find him she calls the authorities who find him shot to death on the property of the business center. Left to raise three children all under 10 yrs of age, she summons the gift of faith from God and valiantly moves her family to a place where she can raise and protect and provide for them. They are poor but rich in their mother’s love and care. She always has them in church and teaches them of God’s salvation. Does she do all this perfectly? NO. She is a sinner saved by grace like all of mankind.

This is a simple and concise illustration of how God has created the perfect covenant partner and when because of sin that partnership is torn in two the dignity of God’s image bearer summons the valor of her faith in God to continue in the strength of God to raise, guard and love the next generation of covenant children. God created from the rib of Adam, in His image and therefore she reflects the character of her maker in dignity, strength, faith, valor and wisdom. She is to do this in partnership with her covenant ally. Because of sin sometimes a woman is left to care for the family all on her own. What a truly daunting task to do alone. Only in the fear and faith of God can a valiant/virtuous woman reflect the dignity to which she was created. May God raise up faithful valiant woman to teach the generation to live for the Glory of God!

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Stephen Fields